MODERNIZATION IMPERATIVE, NO LONGER AN OPTION: DOJ SECRETARY VIDA
MANILA, Philippines — Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Fredderick A. Vida has called for the accelerated modernization of the country’s border security system, stressing that technological advancement is no longer an option but an urgent necessity as criminal networks become increasingly sophisticated and borderless.
Speaking during the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) 86th Anniversary celebration on September 11, Vida emphasized the need for a more coordinated, technology-driven, and forward-looking approach to border management.
“Criminal networks do not respect territorial boundaries; our response therefore must equally be sophisticated, coordinated and forward-looking. Modernization is no longer an option. It is an imperative,” Vida said.
The DOJ Secretary underscored the growing complexity of threats confronting the country’s borders, including transnational organized crime, human trafficking, terrorism, illegal recruitment, document fraud, identity theft, and other forms of cross-border criminality.
As an attached agency of the DOJ, the Bureau of Immigration continues to pursue reforms consistent with the government’s digital transformation agenda and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to accelerate the digitization and modernization of government operations.
Vida stressed that border management must keep pace with emerging threats while ensuring that legitimate travelers continue to experience efficient, secure, and seamless immigration processes.
Meanwhile, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado highlighted the accomplishments of the Bureau and its personnel, describing these achievements as a foundation for further institutional reforms.
Viado emphasized the importance of continuously evolving through technology, digitalization, stronger border intelligence, and more efficient immigration processes.
“The journey ahead has already begun, but the road ahead will require more than accomplishments. It will require us to remain focused on our mission while constantly looking toward the Bureau we aspire to become,” Viado said.
He also described modernization as a lasting legacy that the present generation of BI personnel can build for an institution that has served the country for 86 years.
“Modernization is a legacy we can commit to an institution that has existed for 86 years,” Viado said.
The BI’s 86th anniversary highlighted the Bureau’s continuing transformation into a modern border management institution—one that facilitates legitimate international travel while strengthening its fundamental mandate to protect the country’s borders and national security.
₱10.74-BILLION BORDER SECURITY PPP
Viado had earlier emphasized the importance of modernization during a recent House of Representatives hearing on the proposed 2027 budget of the DOJ and its attached agencies, where he pointed to modernization as a necessary step toward strengthening border control.
A ₱10.74-billion Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project proposal is currently being reviewed by the Department of Finance, the Office of the Solicitor General, and the PPP Center.
Under a proposed Build-Train-Maintain-Transfer scheme, the project seeks to establish an integrated border security platform covering 11 airports and border points.
The proposed system is intended to strengthen government efforts against human trafficking, smuggling, terrorism, money laundering, tax evasion, and organized crime, while improving the efficiency and security of immigration and border-control operations.
The proposal also includes regular system upgrades every four years over a 20-year period, with the stated objective of maintaining an updated border security system without additional cost to the government.
The modernization initiative underscores the government’s continuing efforts to build a border management system capable of responding to evolving security threats while facilitating legitimate travel and protecting national security.
0 Comments